1. English: Undeniably the most spoken language globally, English is used as a first language by over 370 million people and as a second language by many more. It's the official language of many countries and has a huge influence on global media, business, and technology.
2. Mandarin Chinese: The most spoken language by native speakers, Mandarin Chinese has a vast number of speakers (over 939 million) concentrated primarily in China and other parts of East Asia. It's a significant language for economic and cultural reasons.
3. Hindi: Spoken primarily in India and some other regions, Hindi has a large number of native speakers (over 600 million) making it one of the most spoken languages worldwide. It's also an important language for cultural and religious reasons.
4. Spanish: The second most spoken language in the US, Spanish has a large number of native speakers (over 500 million) concentrated in Spain, Latin America, and parts of the United States. It's a major language in the Americas and has increasing global influence.
5. Arabic: Spoken primarily in the Middle East and North Africa, Arabic has a large number of native speakers (over 400 million) and is a significant language in the region for cultural, religious, and political reasons.
These are just a few examples, and there are many other languages that could be considered "famous" based on different criteria.